Siddhi

na vayaṁ sādhvi sāmrājyaṁ svārājyaṁ bhaujyam apy uta

na vayaṁ sādhvi sāmrājyaṁ svārājyaṁ bhaujyam apy uta |
vairājyaṁ pārameṣṭhyaṁ vā ānantyaṁ vā hareḥ padam ||
kāmayāmaha etasya śrīmat-pāda-rajaḥ śriyaḥ |
kuca-kuṅkuma-gandhāḍhyaṁ mūrdhnā voḍhuṁ gadābhṛtaḥ ||
vraja-striyo yad vāñchanti pulindyas tṛṇa-vīrudhaḥ |
gāvaś cārayato gopāḥ pāda-sparśaṁ mahātmanaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.83.41–43; cited in Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.43; Prīti Sandarbha: 108; Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.59)

“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sixteen thousand queens say:] O Sādhvi, [i.e., O Draupadī], neither universal sovereignty [over the earth], nor sovereignty over Svarga, nor the enjoyment [of these forms of sovereignty], nor extensive sovereignty [i.e., attainment of the siddhis of minuteness (aṇimā) and so on], nor the dominion of Brahmā, nor the unlimited [i.e., the unlimited bliss experienced in realization of Brahman], nor even the abode of Hari [i.e., sālokya-, sāmīpya, sārṣṭi, or sārūpya-mukti]—we desire [none of these and instead desire] to bear atop our heads his—the Club-bearer’s [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s]—blessed foot-dust enriched with the fragrance of kuṅkuma from the bosom of Śrī [i.e., Śrī Rādhā], since the ladies of Vraja, the Pulindī women, the grass and creepers [of Vraja], and the cowherds [there] tending the cows [all] long for the touch of the feet of he of most exalted disposition [i.e., they too all long for the touch of Kṛṣṇa’s feet].”

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mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes

mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes
tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam |
mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā
vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye |
ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā
janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu ||
gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu
na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.5.2–3; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.17, 69; Bhakti Sandarbha: 186; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.82)

“Service to the mahats is said to be the door to ultimate mukti, and attachment to those who are attached to women [is said to be] the door to darkness. The mahāntas are they who are of equal mind, tranquil, free from anger, friendly, and virtuous, or, they who (1) have made affection [i.e., prema] for me, Īśa, their aim, (2) are unpossessed of affinity for persons fixated upon affairs related to bodily maintenance and houses accompanied by wives, children, and friends, and (3) are possessed of only so much wealth [as is necessary] in this world.”

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rasena yena yenānte veśākārādinā tathā

rasena yena yenānte veśākārādinā tathā |
sevitvā kṛṣṇa-pādābje yo yo vaikuṇṭham āgataḥ ||
tasya tasyākhilaṁ tat tac chrīmad-bhagavataḥ priyam |
tasmai tasmai praroceta tasmāt tat-tad-rasādikam ||
te ca sarve’tra vaikuṇṭhe śrī-nārāyaṇam īśvaram |
tat-tad-varṇādi-yuktātma-deva-rūpaṁ vicakṣate ||
pūrvavad bhajanānandaṁ prāpnuvanti navaṁ navam |
sarvadāpy aparicchinnaṁ vaikuṇṭhe’tra viśeṣataḥ ||
ye tv asādharaṇaiḥ sarvaiḥ pūrvair ātma-manoramaiḥ |
parivārādibhir yuktaṁ nijam iṣṭataraṁ prabhum ||
sampaśyanto yathā-pūrvaṁ sadaivecchanti sevitum |
te’tyanta-tat-tan-niṣṭhāntya-kaṣṭhavanto mahāśayāḥ ||
te cāsyaiva pradeśeṣu tādṛśeṣu purādiṣu |
tathaiva tādṛśaṁ nāthaṁ bhajantas tanvate sukham ||
ye caikatara-rūpasya prīti-niṣṭhā bhavanti na |
aviśeṣa-grahās tasya yat-kiñcid-rūpa-sevakāḥ ||
ye ca lakṣmī-pater aṣṭākṣarādi-manu-tat-parāḥ |
te hi sarve sva-dehānte vaikuṇṭham imam āśritāḥ ||
yathā-kāmaṁ sukhaṁ prāpuḥ sarvato’py adhikaṁ sukhāt |
teṣāṁ sva-sva-rasānaikyāt tāratamye’pi tulyatā ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.145–154)

“That particular beautiful rasa, as well as the garb, form, and so forth, dear to Bhagavān, with which they have worshiped the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and finally reached Vaikuṇṭha—all of that is deeply relished by them [i.e., by bhaktas who thereafter dwell eternally in Vaikuṇṭha] because of that [i.e., because of that form, garb, rasa, and so forth being dear to Śrī Bhagavān]. Furthermore, in Vaikuṇṭha, they all behold Śrī Nārāyaṇa, the Īśvara, in the form of their own Deva [i.e., in the form of their personal Iṣṭa-devatā] replete with that particular complexion and so forth [i.e., replete with the complexion, appearance, associates, and so forth unique to their Iṣṭa-devatā]. Although always unceasing as before, they attain newer and newer bliss in worship here in Vaikuṇṭha especially [i.e., as the bliss they felt during their worship in their final body in saṁsāra was unceasing, it is felt to increase and become ever-new upon entering their Iṣṭa-devatā’s personal abode and presence]. They as previously [aspired for] behold in full their own dearmost Prabhu [i.e., their Iṣṭa-devatā] replete with all the previous extraordinary associates and so forth [i.e., characteristics, activities, and so on] pleasing to their hearts which they always desired to worship [directly while they were in saṁsāra] since these high-minded ones [i.e., these bhaktas endowed with extremely deep, imperturbable cognitive functions (parama-gambhīrākṣobhya-citta-vṛttayaḥ)] are possessed of the extremity of superlative fixity [i.e., one-pointedness] in these [i.e., in these associates, characteristics, activities, and so forth specifically of their Iṣṭa-devatā]. Furthermore, they worship the Lord as such only in that way in such domains as the city [i.e., Dvārakā] and expand their bliss [i.e., they worship the Lord only in the particular form of their Iṣṭa-devatā along with his particular associates, particular abode, and so forth that are the specific object of their superlative fixity]. [On the contrary,] All of the worshipers of any particular form of the Lord of Lakṣmī who do not have fixity in love (prīti) for one particular form [of his] because they do not have any specific inclination [towards any one particular form of his] and who are devoted to a mantra such as the eight-syllable become sheltered in this Vaikuṇṭha after the demise of their own [final sāṁsārika] bodies and attain bliss as desired [by them] greater even than all [the] bliss [previously experienced by them while performing worship in saṁsāra]. Even in the midst of a gradation [in the degree of the bliss these bhaktas of various types experience] on account of the non-singularity of their own respective rasas, there is an equality among them.”

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yasya deve ca mantre ca gurau triṣv api niścalā

yasya deve ca mantre ca gurau triṣv api niścalā |
na vyavacchidyate buddhis tasya siddhir adūrataḥ ||
mantrātmā devatā jñeyā devatā guru-rūpiṇī |
teṣāṁ bhedo na kartavyo yadīcched iṣṭam ātmanaḥ ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 17.65–66)

“Success (siddhi) is not far off for one whose unwavering intention upon Deva, the mantra, and the guru is non-deterred. The Devatā is to be known as he who has a form as the mantra [used to worship him], and the Devatā is [to be known as] he who has a form as the guru [who teaches worship of himself]. A division between them is not to be made should one desire [to attain] one’s own desired object [i.e., should one desire to attain one’s cherished Devatā].”

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vittir viraktiś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ puro

vittir viraktiś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ puro
yasyāḥ parānanda-tanor vitiṣṭhate |
siddhiś ca sevā-samayaṁ pratīkṣate
bhaktiḥ pareśasya punātu sā jagat ||
(Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.2.1)

“May bhakti to the Supreme Īśa—
She possessed of a form of supreme bliss
Before whom Knowledge and Non-attachment
Stand with cupped-palms
And Siddhi awaits an occasion for service—
Purify the universe.”

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rajobhiḥ sama-saṅkhyātāḥ pārthivair iha jantavaḥ

rajobhiḥ sama-saṅkhyātāḥ pārthivair iha jantavaḥ |
teṣāṁ ye kecanehante śreyo vai manujādayaḥ ||
prāyo mumukṣavas teṣāṁ kecanaiva dvijottama |
mumukṣūṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścin mucyeta sidhyati ||
muktānām api siddhānāṁ nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇaḥ |
sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātmā koṭiṣv api mahāmune ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.14.3–5; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.189; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.186, 2.2.207, 2.5.178; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 106; Bhakti Sandarbha: 134, 186, 273; Prīti Sandarbha: 35, 100; Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.19.151)

“Living beings here [i.e., in the material world] are similar in enumeration to the particles of dust on the earth [i.e., they are innumerable]. Among them, there are certainly some human beings and so forth who strive for virtue (śreyas) [i.e., who follow dharma and take up other means to attain otherworldly happiness]. O best of the twice born, among them, some very few are even seekers of mukti, and among thousands of seekers of mukti, someone may become liberated and [someone among thousands of such liberated persons may] succeed [i.e., attain siddhi]. O great sage, even among crores of even muktas and siddhas, someone of completely peaceful mind whose complete shelter is Nārāyaṇa is extremely rare to find.”

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sa yad ajayā tv ajām anuśayīta guṇāṁś ca juṣan

sa yad ajayā tv ajām anuśayīta guṇāṁś ca juṣan
bhajati sarūpatāṁ tad anu mṛtyum apeta-bhagaḥ |
tvam uta jahāsi tām ahir iva tvacam ātta-bhago
mahasi mahīyase’ṣṭa-guṇite’parimeya-bhagaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.38; cited in Bhagavat Sandarbha: 24; Paramātma Sandarbha: 39)

“Since he [i.e., the jīva], however, can lie down with the unborn [i.e., ignorance (avidyā) on account of the unborn (ajayā) [i.e., māyā], he partakes of the qualities [of the unborn] and thereafter of likeness [to those qualities of the unborn], becomes deprived of fortune (apeta-bhagaḥ), and undergoes death [i.e., saṁsāra]. You, on the contrary, shun her [i.e., the unborn, i.e., māyā], like a serpent [its] skin, and, being possessed of fortune, are exalted in [your own] eightfold greatness, being of immeasurable fortune.”

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yathā hy ekena cakreṇa na rathasya gatir bhavet

yathā hy ekena cakreṇa na rathasya gatir bhavet |
tathā puruṣakāreṇa vinā daivaṁ na siddhyati ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇa, 30)

“As no movement shall occur of a chariot with only one wheel, so destiny does not accomplish anything without a person’s endeavor.”

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udyamena hi sidhyanti kāryāṇi na manorathaiḥ

udyamena hi sidhyanti kāryāṇi na manorathaiḥ |
na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇa, 36; Pañcatantra: Mitra-samprāpti)

“Tasks are accomplished verily by industriousness, and not just by desires. Animals do not enter the mouth of a sleeping lion.”

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kāka-tāIīyavat prāptaṁ dṛṣṭvāpi nidhim agrataḥ

kāka-tāIīyavat prāptaṁ dṛṣṭvāpi nidhim agrataḥ |
na svayaṁ daivam ādatte puruṣārtham apekṣate ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇa, 35)

“Destiny itself does not grant [one possession of] a jewel even after it has been seen present in the fore like the palm and the crow [i.e., by chance]. A person’s effort is [also] required [for one to obtain it].”

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